Picker stick



Aug. 3, 1954 J. w. MCDANIEL 85,308

PICKER STICK Filed Sept. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. MT Fig.2

James W. McDaniel INVENTOR.

Mm BY M MW Aug. 1954 J. w. MCDANIEL 2,685,308

PICKER sncx Filed Sept. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 9 [-55 James W. McDaniel INVEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICKER STICK James W. McDaniel, Raleigh, N. 0., assignor to George E. Dennis, Raleigh, N. 0.

Application September 26, 1952, Serial No. 311,646

2 Claims. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a picker stick and more particularly pertains to a floating mounting for a picker stick whereby the upper end of the picker stick will be caused to move in a substantially horizontal plane and thus minimize relative vertical motion of the upper end of the picker stick and. the picker operatively connected thereto.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a picker stick construction in which the wear between the picker stick and the picker actuated thereby will be reduced to a minimum by substantial elimination of the relative vertical motion of the picker stick with the picker during the pivotal motion of the picker stick.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a picker stick construction in accordance with the preceding object which may be readily applied to conventional looms by merely replacing the picker stick mounting with an improved mounting assembly.

A further more specific object of the invention is to provide a picker stick floating mounting construction whereby the picker stick will not only be pivotally connected to the rocker arm of a loom for pivotal motion during the picking operation, but whereby a regulated and adjustable vertical motion of the picker stick with respect to its fulcrum is automatically provided to maintain the upper end of the picker stick in substantially the same horizontal plane of travel during the pivotal movement of the stick.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accom- Y panying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a picker stick having the improved floating mounting of the present invention applied thereto, the parts being shown in the position assumed by the picker stick when the same is in its inoperative or rest position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and showing certain details of the floating mounting of the invention;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure l and showing further details of the floating mounting;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the picker stick fulcrum forming a part of the invention;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are elevational views, somewhat diagrammatic and broken away, and illustrating the operation and position of the picker stick mounting assembly during the rest position, during the picking or pivoting movement of the picker stick, and at the completion of the picking or pivotal movement;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the picker stick holder forming a part of the floating mounting of this invention; and,

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view more clearly illustrating the relative vertical movement of the picker stick with respect to its fulcrum during the picking operation, whereby the upper end of the picker stick is caused to travel in a substantially horizontal plane.

In the conventional picker stick mechanism of looms, it is well known that the upper end of the picker stick extends through a slot in the picker of the loom whereby pivoting movement of the picker stick imparts a horizontal reciprocating movement to the picker, and whereby that portion of the picker stick extending through the slot in the picker has a relative vertical sliding movement with respect to the walls of the slot. This relative vertical sliding movement, which arises from the arcuate or pivotal movement of the picker stick in the straight line horizontally moving picker, gives rise to undue wear at this connection, which eventually and in time detrimentally effects the operation of the picking mechanism of the loom. It is the purpose of the present invention to eliminate or substantially reduce and minimize this relative vertical sliding movement of the upper end of the picker stick in the slot in the picker of the loom in order to thereby prolong the life of the picking mechanism and the efficiency of operation of the same.

However, since the picker travels through a pivotal movement during its operation, it is necessary in order to maintain the upper portion of the picker stick in'a substantially horizontal plane of travel, to effect a vertical travel of the fulcrum or pivot of the picker stick. In the present invention a floating mounting construction for the picker stick is provided whereby a vertical movement or lost motion is provided for the lower end of the picker stick where the latter is pivoted to the rocker arm of the loom and whereby the lower end of the picker stick is caused to move vertically during the pivotal travel of the stick in order to permit the upper end of the stick to move in a substantially horizontal plane.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the numeral ltl designates generally a picker stick which may be of any conventional construction, and which at its upper end is adapted to engage a picker, not shown but of conventional design, whereby the oscillating or pivotal motion of the picker stick imparts a straight line horizontal travel to the picker. Ordinarily, the conventional picker stick I is secured to a portion of a rocker arm l2 forming a part of a loom, the picke" stick being pivotally mounted to this rocker arm and being actuated by suitable conventional mechanism, not shown, to cause the pivoting or picking motion of the picker stick.

In accordance with this invention I replace this conventional pivotal connection of the picker stick to the rocker arm by a floating mounting as set forth hereinafter.

An axle in the form of a bolt or the like H. is secured to and extends laterally from the rocker arm i2, being attached thereto as by a nut it upon the end of the axle. Journaled upon this axle is a spool it in the form of a cylindrical roller having parallel end flanges iii. A retainer 22 of any conventional design abuts the outer end of the roller for maintaining the latter in journaled relation upon the axle iii. It will thus be seen that the roller extends laterally from the side of the rocker arm i2 and as set forth hereinafter constitutes a fulcrum or pivot for the picker stick.

Cooperating with the holder to form the floating mounting of the picker stick is a picker stick holder indicated generally by the numeral 2L and which is shown in Figure 8. This holder consists of a plate 26 which is apertured at 23 for the re-- ception of a fastening bolt 3%) whereby the plate may be securely attached to the picker stick adjacent to but spaced from its lower end. Integrally attached to the plate 26 of the holder is a bracket 32 which may conveniently be of U- shaped construction, consisting of a vertical web 34 joined at its upper and lower ends by parallel laterally extending upper and lower flanges 35 and 38 respectively. Extending through the upper flange St is an adjusting member which may conveniently comprise a vertically disposed bolt 40 screw threaded through an aperture in the upper flange, and which bolt is provided with an adjusting or lock nut 2. The bracket is proportioned that the upper and lower flanges of the same are adapted to respectively overlie and underlie the upper and lower portions of the roller or spool l8 forming the fulcrum. However, a considerable vertical clearance is provided between the two upper and lower walls of t -e U- shaped bracket and the roller in order to provide for relative vertical movement of the holder and picker stick with respect to the fulcrum. Adjustment and regulation of this vertical movement is effected by manipulating the fastener 40, whose lower surface is adapted to engage the upper surface of the roller as will be clearly apparent from Figures -7. It should be also noted that the inside surface of the vertical web i l of the bracket is adapted to rest against and ride upon the surface of the roll r 58. During this relative vertical travel of the holder bracket with respect to the roller and during pivotal movement of the holder bracket upon the roller, this engagement of these parts is prevented by virtue of the edges of the bracket lying between the terminal flanges 20 of the roller.

In addition to the foregoing, there is provided a strap 44 which at one extremity extends below the bottom end of the picker stick and is secured to one side of the same as by a fastening bolt or screw 46, and at its other end is attached to a spring 48 which in turn is anchored in a suitable lug 50 forming a part of the framework of the loom. It will be apparent that the tension of the spring and strap yieldingly maintain or yieldingly urge the picker stick in a clockwise direction about the fulcrum and towards the inoperative or rest position of the picker stick. From this inoperative or rest position, which is shown in Figures 1 and 5, and is also indicated by the line 52 in the diagrammatic view of Figure 9, the picker stick is urged in a counterclockwise pivoting direction, during its picking or pivoting operation, by a mechanism not shown but of conventional design. Upon the completion of operation of this mechanism, the picker stick is moved from its position shown in Figure '7 and also shown in Figure 9 at fa l back to its original or rest position by means of the spring and strap.

By observing Figure 9, it will be seen that when the picker stick is in its rest or inoperative position shown at 52, the inclination of the vertical web 34 of the bracket 32 is such that the tension of the spring 43 and strap 45, will apply both a downward thrust upon the bracket and its engagement upon the fulcrum, and also a thrust towards the left. This latter thrust, acting; through the inclined surface of the web 3 will cause the holder and picker stick to move downwardly until the adjustable stop lll rests upon the upper surface of the roller, as shown in Fig" ures 1, 5 and 9. At this time, it will be especially noted that there is a clearance between the lower leg 38 of the U-shaped bracket and the bottom surface of the fulcrum roller. When now the picker stick is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, against the tension of the spring and strap 48 and 46, the picker stick holder pivots about the fulcrum with the adjusting screw 40 riding upon and resting upon the top surface of the roller. During this travel, while the picker stick moves from its slightly inclined position shown in Figure 5 and at 52 in Figure 9 to its vertical position shown in Figure 6, there is a very slight upward displacement of the upper end of the picker stick, as will be apparent by comparing the upper ends of the picker stick in Figures 5 and 6 with the line 56 which designates the horizontal plane passing through the point of engagement of the picker stick with the picker. This upward travel is however very slight in view of the very slight angular movement of the picker stick between the positions of Figures 5 and 6.

During the remainder of the pivotal picking movement of the picker stick, which is from the vertical position of Figure 6 to the final position of Figure 7, the inner surface of the vertical web 34 of the U-shaped bracket has shifted from one side of the vertical plane to the other side due to the changing inclination of the picker stick; and consequently the downwardly directed thrust of the spring and strap 68 and it has reversed and changed to an upward thrust by virtue of the changing inclination of the vertical web 35 with respect to a vertical plane passing through the contacting surface of the roller of the fulcrurn. Consequently, as soon as the picker stick passes the position of Figure 6, the shifting inclination of the surface of the web 35 now caused the picker stick to rise and the mounting and picker stick travel upwardly as the picker stick swings counter-clockwise. This upward travel continues until the same is stopped by the engagement of the lower leg 38 with the bottom surface of the roller, and the picker stick and mounting are in the position shown by the line 54 in Figure 9, or as shown in Figure 7. In this position, there is now a clearance between the member 40 and the top surface of the fulcrum.

As will be readily apparent, adjustment of the member 40 will serve to regulate the amplitude or extent of this vertical shifting of the poker stick holder and picker stick with reference to the picker stick fulcrum and thus will enable the picker stick mechanism to be adjusted to cause the upper end of the same to travel substantially in the plane indicated by the line 55. Thus, relative vertical movement of the end of the picker stick with respect to the picker may be adjusted and substantially eliminated.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A floating mounting for a picker stick comprising a fulcrum adapted for mounting upon a loom rocker arm, a picker stick holder adapted for attachment to a picker stick, said holder engaging and having pivotal movement upon said fulcrum, said holder having vertical movement upon said fulcrum, means for adjusting the vertical movement of the holder upon the fulcrum, said holder including a U-shaped bracket having a pair of parallel vertically spaced legs connected by a vertical web, the inside surfaces of said legs and web engaging said fulcrum, said bracket embracing said fulcrum.

2. A floating mounting for a picker stick comprising a fulcrum adapted for mounting upon a loom rocker arm, a picker stick holder adapted for attachment to a picker stick, said holder engaging and having pivotal movement upon said fulcrum, said holder having vertical movement upon said fulcrum, means for adjusting the vertical movement of the holder upon the fulcrum, said holder including a U-shaped bracket having a pair of parallel vertically spaced legs conheated by a vertical web, the inside surfaces of said legs and web engaging said fulcrum, said bracket embracing said fulcrum, said adjusting means comprising a member movable upon the uppermost of said legs and engageable with said fulcrum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 22,114 Estes Nov. 23, 1858 165,408 Collins July 13, 1875 739,526 Whatley Sept. 22, 1903 1,003,526 Sleeper Sept. 19, 1911 1,674,809 Talbot 1- June 28, 1928 2,083,276 Rogers June 8, 1937 2,355,802 Hook Aug. 15, 1944 

